Week's Happenings 12/11-12/19

The holidays, beginning in November, really, is a super busy month - and this year for me was more busy than I had planned.  It seemed like I was on the run all the time.  When the week of the 11th came, I was ready to slow down and take in and enjoy the spirit of the season.  Thank goodness for our daily Christmas devotionals that started on November 30th -- or I couldn't really get into any sort of "break" or "vacation" or "fun" mode.   I looked forward to stopping for a few minutes every night to sit down and sing songs with my family and learn about the Savior.  That made a huge difference in how I felt about the whole busyness of the Christmas season.

Collin wanted me to take a photo of Zane's "3 legs".  He always manages to get his leg out of these footsies.

An attempt to take 1-year old photos -- not super successful, these were the best I got.

 
Preschool parties on two separate days with these little cuties.  It was so fun minus the throw-up incident we had on Friday.

Zane liked checking out (and pulling off) the ornaments on our devotional tree.

Collin rediscovered one of Allie's old toys - a play laptop.  We put new batteries in, shined it up, and voila - a new toy (and not even Christmas yet).  Zane loves to look over anything electronic.

Alli (check out the new spelling) and I baked some cookies on Saturday morning to take to her baking/cookie party.

 

Maddie did a bunch of chores this day (Saturday) - vacuumed the floors and mopped the wood floors.  She did awesome!

Allie had a half-birthday.  Kevin got her flowers, her favorite ice cream, and favorite dinner (Costa Vida).  Then watched The Smurfs before bed.

 

Made all these ornaments with the preschoolers on Tuesday and Friday -- and since Zane was awake and wanted to check out preschool, he made one with us too.

 I went and ate lunch with Collin (and his buddies) - it was fun to listen to the conversations these three had at lunch. Collin was in such deep conversation he and Cameron didn't hear my request for a photo - but Ethan was more than happy to oblige.

That's better.

That was life for me this week.  I took a total of 250 pictures this week (not including the should-have taken's, e.g., Zane swishing his arms in the toilet for the umpteenth time. gross.) Taking pictures of life's ordinary moments helps me find joy in every day motherhood.   It was a great busy week, I was glad for it to be over - and finally get to relax and think about the Christmas festivities!!